Brick-setting machine



Filed Aug. 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. GKHFTO/Y E. Lune:

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FM ATTORNEYS,

May 14, 1929.

G. E.'LUCE V BRICK SETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GRflFfO/Y I. 41/0;

A TTORNE Petaznted UMTED' T GRAFTON E. L'UCTE, 011 NEW LONDON, OHIG, ASSIGNOH TD LANCASTER IRON 'VVORKS,

FATE.

m" o cn. i

IHG, 01. IIANCI ETfilft, PENNSYLVANIA, A GORPORATION'OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BRICKTSETTIN% MACHINE.

iflpplication fiiednu ust'as, 1927.: Serial No. 215,628.

'lhis inventionjpcrtains to a. brick setting machine of that type adapted to be elevated.

by cranefor engaging); and elevating stack oi. brick which have been set up or hacked 1T1 prei"* 'eru'nned relation. It as generally in hamlliu bricks during tieir ac are in tra iug' the stack of brickfi 1 Hi the ear to. the kiln or from the kiln to anyplace of deposit. I

This type oi setter generally embodies a series of lingers adapted to be inserted in the s; .05; between the brick of the lower course of the brick unit, the upper courses of the unit being supported by the lingers and basic T course being; grasped by sing members carried by the lingers and c] liable for giuuz ing by the weight of the upperv courses. 7

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a compensating mechanism in the form oiia manuallyoperated lever for accommodating the gripping action oi the lower course orick to any Varying amount of brick supported by the setter. Inasmuch l l ith the previous construction of setters it is coninion practice to provide an additional man to ride the setter and supply by his own weight the force tended to sip the lower course when a small number of brick are to be handled. u 7 v y "lhcenti re ting andgraspinginechanisniis ii'icluded in the height of one brick instead of two as has heretofore been (1 nary. l Vith the previous col'istruction of g asping plates, it has been. necessary to he two bottom courses of brick eXactly alike with the brick one above the other with their axes in the same direction. This results in an unstable foundation for the brick unit. With the finger construction herein disclosed itis possible to set the second course with the courses of brick arranged at right angles, thus making this. part of the unit as stable as any other part. Another advantage of this construction is that thelitting lingers may be inserted in any course of theunit and therefore as many courses as desired 1nay be removed from the unit at one time.

blocks may be employed on every other finger so that only one side of the brick will be nrasped thereby and clamped againstthe linger on the other side thereof. i

The full nature otthe inventionwill be understood from the accompanyingdrawings and the :t'ollowil'ig description and claims: 1 u

Fig. 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. line 3 301? Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of a portion of a linger with parts thereof broken away. Fig. 5 is a plan view looking down on the linger as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a scction taken on, a line 6-6.of Fig.4.

In the drawings there is shown a brick setter having; a supporting platform 10 suspended from a suitable overhead crane or the lilo, thru the hook and eyes 11. Mov ably connected to the platform 1.0 thru the medium oi: the bolts 12 there is an annular turn table support 13 upon which there is rotatably mounted a turntable 14-. Intermediate the plattl orn'r 10 and the upper ends of the bolts 12 there are compression springs 15 which normally maintain the table 10 and support 13 together by their spring tension, compensating for the normal Weight of the unloaded setter. Thus when no load is on the setter, said support is held adjacent to table by the springs 15. Centrally positioned with respect to the turn table 14: there is an actuating rod 16 held against Vertically sliding lllOVGHlQDt with respect to table 10 by the collars 17, but permitted to rotate therein. The lower end of the rod 16 is pivotally connected withone end of the link 20, the other end of thelink being pivotally connected to the upper frame portion secured to the turn table 14. Pivotally secured intermediate the ends of link .20 there is a connect.

Keyed to the shaft 2 1 which extends Fig. 3 is a section taken on the throughout the entire width of the setter, and spaced at intervals there along, there are a plurality of arms 27 having heads 28 at their lower ends 'throughiwhich a rod 29 extends.

Mountedon said rod adjacent the head 28 there is a head 30 formed on the lever 31. which extends downwardly and is provided with a notch 32 in its lower end adapted to embrace the pin 33 secured in the rear end of the actuating bar 34. The arm 31 is ro- "tatably. mounted so as to fulcrum about the shaft'35 which also extends throughout the entire-width of the setter. Positioned in- I out any gap between said platform and turn termediate thehead 28 on the lever 27, and ,theinner end of the rod 29 there 1s a compression spring 36 which normally maintains the heads 28 and in engagement.

rom the above describedstructure, it will be apparent that without a load the setter will be suspended from the platform 10 withtable; It will also be capable of rotation about the actuating rod 16 as the center. However, when a load of brick is placed upon the setter, or lifted thereby, the tension of the springs 15 will beovercome so that the setter will drop down slightly from the table 10. This movement will cause the link 20 to be. pulled upwardly by the actuating rod 16 wh ch will impart a partial clockwise rotation to the shaft 24 drawing the heads 28 and 30 inwardly toward the setter and forcing the bars 34 rearwardly away therefrom as I indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. This rearwhich will be hereinafter more fully de-.

ward action of the bars v34 will cause the gripping action of the lower course of brick scribed.

,In order to compensate for varying weights supported. by the-setter by reason of variations in the number of courses of brick carried thereby, there. is provided a compensatablev bearing 40 mounted on the frame support26 f At each end of the shaft 39 and at thecenter thereof there is keyed a gear 41 which is adapted to mesh with the gear 42. The shaft 35 is eccentrically carried by the gear42, which is rotatably supported by the bearing block 43. By means of this arrange- I ment, upon pulling the lever rearwardly the gear 41-is turned in the direction of the arrow Whichcauses the rotation of the gear 42 whereupon the shaft 35 is moved rearwardly causing a rearward positioning of the bars 34. Thus,th e operatoraupon desiring to set a. smaller and lighter stack of brick may reposition the bars 34 so as to partially, engage and-grip the? brick before the load-further actuat'es them. Thus the lighter load-is assisted by the auxiliary gripping action due to the operation of the compensating lever.

As shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines, there is a stack of brick 45 comprising a lower course 46 and a second course 47 mounted therein. The lower course of brick are formed in' rows spaced from each other to permit the lifting fingers 48 to be inserted therebetween. Said fingers are of less width than the height of the course but are enlarged at the rear as indicated at 49 and rigidly supported by the angle iron frame 50 so as to e rigid and sufficiently strong to support the entire stack of brick.

The actuating bars 34 are slidably mounted within the fingers 48 and extend longitudinally thereof. The fingers 48 are provided with a plurality of openings indicated at 49 which are so spaced longitudinally thereof as to provide two of said 0 )enings within the length of each brick. The bars 34 have 0 enings registering with the openings 51 in w ich the grasping blocks 52 are inserted and slidable laterally upon the key way blocks 53. Each of the blocks 52 are provided with upper and lower flanges 54 which taper longitudinally so as to provide longitudinally extending cam faces as best shown in Fig. 5. The bars 34 are provided with co-aeting flanges having cam faces 55 on each side of the slot therein embracing the blocks 52. The upper and lower cam faces of each of the blocks are reversed and likewise the co-acting cam faces of the bars 34. By means of this arrangement, when the bars 34 are caused to slide rearwardly with respect to the fingers 48, the engagement of the cam faces between the blocks and the bars cause the blocks to be forced laterally into grasping position. \Vhen the bars are moved in the opposite direction the reversed cam faces on the opposite side thereof cause the blocks to be pulled inwardly out of grasping position. Thus, there is a positive gras ing and releasing action of the. blocks depenc ing upon the direction of movement of the bars 34. For suitably engaging the brick and assisting in the grasping action, the ends of the blocks are provided with outwardly extending knife edges 56, as shown in Fig. 5. As before stated, the openings in the fingers are spaced apart, two to each length of brick, one block acting upon one side of the arm and the other on the opposite side so as to engage and grip the brick on each side of the finger.

It will be borne in mind that the principal strain inthe lifting of the stack is borne by the rigidity of the fingers 48, the graspin blocks being only employed for grasping am raising the lower course of brick. Thus, there is no substantial strain imposed on the grasping block other than that exerted by the weight of its individual brick.

An important feature of the invention resides in the formation of the grasping face of Lil theblock 52 for adapting it to grasping in thickness Without damaging the surface a of the brick.

- The inventionclalmed 1s:

1. A brlck'setting machine including a suportin member a frame sus Jended there from, means secured to said frame for sup porting a stack of brick, meansfor grasping the lower course thereof and meansoperable by the relative movement between said sup porting member and frame for act-uatin said graspingmeans,

2. A brick settin machine inoludin su 3- porting member, a frame suspended therefrom, means secured to said frame for supporting a stack of brick, meaii'is for pgras 'iing the lower course thereof, means operable by the relative movement between. said supporting member and frame for actuating said grasping means, and a plurality'of compression springs for preventin such relative movement by the Weight of the frame and brick support, but permitting the same upon the Weight of the brick supported thereby overcomi ,e' the tension of said springs.

3. A brick setting machine comprising a suspended support, a frame supl'iortcd there by and having a plurality of brick support ing fingers, grasping members associated Wltli said fingers, means for permitting relative movement between said support and frame and means operated by said relative move ment for actuating said members.

l. A brick setting machinecomprising a suspended support, a. frame supported thereby and having a plurality of brick supporting lingers, grasping members associated with said fingers, means for permitting relative movement between said support and frame, means operated by said relative movement for actuating said members, and means for pcrmitting said relativemovement only by the Weight of the brick srupported on said fingers.

STA brick setting machine incliiiding' a supporting member, a turn table frame supported thereby, a turn table rotataliily mounted in said frame, a setter frame srumemlrd. from said turn table and having aplurz city of brick supporting fingers, grasl iing membirs on said lingers, and means connected With said supporting member and setter frame for operatii'lg said members actuated by the relative movement between said supporting member and frame upon a load of brick being supported thereby.

6. A brick setting; machine comprising a supporting member, a turn table frame suspended therefrom and movable relative grasping supporting member, a turn table frame sus pended therefrom and movable relative thereto, a turn table rotatably supported by said turn table frame, a setter :tran'ie suspended therefrom having a plurality of brick lifting fingers, grasping members therein, a rod rotatably mounted on said supporting mcn bc and extending centrally of said turn tabie, means connected to said rod and members for actuating the latteruponthe setter frame; and surmorting member being separated by the Weight of the brick carried thereby, aiulmeans fornormaily resisting the separation thereof by the 'xveight of the setter, f

8. A brick setting machine comprising an overheinl support, a turn table frame sus pended therefrom by a plurality of bolts slidable therein for permitting relative movement, a turn table rotatably mounted on said turn table frame, an actuating rod rotatably mounted in said supporting member and er; tending dmvnu'ardiy therefrom centrally of said turn table, a setter frame suspended from said turn table and having a plurality of brick supporting lingersua plurality of ,grraspiiug members on said fingers, at l'nk pivotaily cmmectingr the lower end of said rod with said turn table frame, means operably ronn-ec .ing said link with said membcrsfmactuating); the same upon @ltlblVd movement of the setter f -ame with respect to said supporting member, and compression spri ,g's mounted on said bolts for resis such rciative nioveu'ient thru the weight of the setter frame, but permitting the same and the minail-o f said members upon aloud of brick beingsup-ported thereby. i

9. A brick setting machine including a :suupporting .uicmber, a setter frame, a plurality of bolts connecting}; said member and frame for permittinp; relative. movement therebetween and a spring on each of said bolts for normally resisting the separ'z-rtion of said member and frail e thru the u 'eight of the latter, but permitting such relative move went thru the Weight of a load of brick carried thereby.

10. A. brick setting machine including aplurality of brick supporting lingers, brick members associated therewith, means for actuating said members thru the weight of the brick supported by said lingers,

anda manually actuated lever operatively connected with said members for compensating for the loss of grasping action upon a decreased load of brick being supported by said fingers.

11. A brick setting machine including a 1 pluralityof brick supporting fingers, brick grasping members associated therewith,

means for actuating saidmembers thru the weight of the brick supported by said fingers and means operatively connected with said members for compensating for the loss of "ras in action u )on adecreased load of b D brick being supported by said fingers.

12. A brick setting machine including a plurality of brick supporting fingers, a plurality of grasping members associated with said fingers, a lever fulcrumed on the setter and operatively connected with said members forforcing the same into grasping position, means controlled by the weight of the brick carried'on the said fingers for actuating said lever, and means for varying the position ofthe fulcrum of said lever so as to compensate for a reduction in the weight of t-hesupported brick.

' 13. A brick setting machine including a plurality-of brick supporting fingers, a plurality .of grasping members associated with said fingers, a lever fulcrumed on the setter and operatively connected with said-members and means for varying the position of said fulcrum shaft for compensating for variations in the weight of the supported brick.

15.'A brick setting machine including a plurality of brick supporting fingers, a plurality of grasping members associated with said fingers,- an actuating lever, a shaft'upon which said lever 'is fulcrumed, operating means'for connecting said lever with said members, and a manually operated lever having an eccentricconnection with said fulcrum shaft for Varying the position and the corresponding movement of the fulcrumed arm and compensating for variation in weight of the supported brick.

16. A brick settin machine having a plurality of rigid bric supporting fingers, a plurality of grasping blocks mounted in said fingers so as to slide laterally thereof, cam faces formed on said blocks, actuating bars slidable longitudinal of said fingers and said bars embracing said blocks provided with oppositely disposed cam faces adapted to co-act with the cam faces of said blocks for movin the latter in and out of clamping position, and means for actuating said bars.

17 A brick setting machine including a frame having a plurality of rigid forward extending fingers for supporting a stack of brick, grasping members associated with said fingers, reciprocating bars slidable longitudinally of said fingers for actuating said members, a shaft mounted on said frame, means controlled by the weight of the supported brick for rotating said shaft, a plurality of arms keyed thereto, fulcrumed levers having one end engaged with said actuatin bar, and a yielding connection between sai arm and lever for causing said members to be actuated therethru.

18. A brick setting machine including a frame having a plurality of rigid forward extending fingers for supporting a stack of brick, grasping members associated with said fingers, reciprocating bars slidable longitudinally of said fingers for actuating said members, a shaft mounted on said frame, means controlled by the weight of the sup orted brick for rotating said shaft, a plurality of arms keyed thereto, fulcrumed levers having one end engaged with said actuating bar, yielding connections between said arms and levers for causing said members to be actuated therethru, and a manually controlled member for varying the position of the fulcrum of said levers to compensate for variations in weight of the supported brick.

19. A brick setting machine having a plurality of rigid brick supporting fingers, a plurality of grasping blocks mounted in said fingers, and means for actuating said grasping blocks, said blocks being provided with spaced projecting portions adapted to pierce the brick and extending therein to varying depths, depending upon the width thereof.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

GRAFTON E. LUCE. 

